Tibetan Spaniels can come in many colors and patterns, though it is within the heading of sable (golden, red, creme or grey) that the greatest number of Tibbies is found. What is common among all of them, however, is a long double coat that silky in texture and feathered on the toes often extending beyond the feet (we’ve heard this called “grinch feet,” something that on Cavalier King Charles is called “Pantoufle feet.”

The coat is longer around the neck, and the proper term for this part of the coat is “shawl.” The shawl is more pronounced in dogs than bitches, but it would be a mistake to think that “more is better.” In a show ring, the Tibetan Spaniel should be presented in an unaltered condition with the coat lying naturally; that means no teasing, no creating a part with a knitting needle, nor stylizing the hair. Indeed, presenting a dog in which the coat has been altered by trimming, clipping, or any fussy artificial means is to be so severely penalized as to be effectively eliminated from competition.

So how does one tell how much is too much?

Dogs who have such a long coat that there’s no rectangle of daylight showing beneath, or so profuse that the coat obstructs the natural outline, are to be severely penalized.

Image: Tibetan Spaniel by Connie from Adobe Stock photos is shared under a standard license